SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Adam Silver on Wednesday attended his first game as commissioner and used Kings-Raptors at Sleep Train Arena as a symbolic gesture to show the league is as committed as ever to getting an arena built despite the transition away from Sacramento guardian angel David Stern.

Silver, the long-time deputy who replaced Stern on Saturday, spoke with certainty that the downtown project would get completed, even as the issue appears headed to the courts after a group attempting to stop public funding for the facility submitted signatures to force a vote in a June election, only to have the petition thrown out on legal grounds. If anything, senior NBA officials, who previously accurately predicted looming lawsuits would have no impact on the decision between Sacramento and Seattle last spring, have said for months that the matter going to a public vote would result in a rousing affirmation in favor of the new arena, although with a cost to the city to put it on the ballot.

“I’m so confident because I’ve known Kevin Johnson for over 20 years,” Silver said. “I knew him as a player, I knew him as a broadcaster and obviously I know him as a mayor now. I’ve sat in literally dozens of meetings with lawyers, political advisors, political leaders, both from Sacramento and California, and talking to (Kings owner) Vivek (Ranadive) and his partners. I’m absolutely confident it’s going to get done.”

In his first week on the job, the attempt to get the age requirement lifted to 20 years old – the current standard to be draft eligible is that U.S. prospects must be a year beyond graduation of their high school class and international players need to turn 19 during the calendar year, emerged as one of the first priorities of the Silver administration. While it is unlikely there will be serious negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement until the National Basketball Players Assn. selects a new executive director, Silver and the league have made their feelings known to the union in the past, including president Chris Paul of the Clippers.

Additionally, Silver called talks on a new media deal, a negotiation so big it is impossible to overstate the importance, “probably the top business priority right now.” As a sign that conversations with networks are about to pick up, he recently named a seven-member media committee as part of the league’s side, according to SportsBusiness Journal: Greg Miller of the Jazz, Michael Reinsdorf (son of Jerry) of the Bulls, James Dolan of the Knicks, Ted Leonsis of the Wizards, Wyc Grousbeck of the Celtics, Peter Holt of the Spurs and Clay Bennett of the Thunder.

“We still have two more years on our current relationships,” Silver said. “But we’re always talking and we have great partnerships with ABC and ESPN on one hand and TNT on the other. We love those partners. We have a great digital relationship with Turner Sports. I’d love to stay with those partners, but we’ll see.”

22 Comments

Watched the game, cannot believe the last call. Won’t say much on the 51 free throws, but Raptors got robbed in the last play. Doesn’t look like NBA will acknowledge it though as they probably want to promote Sacramento or what not. But really you can’t make it that obvious.

And come on articles talking about Reggie Miller and sticking out legs? Lowry’s game is not like that. Just people trying cover their stories.

His league definitely gave sacramento a vote of confidence last nght. An offensive foul on a three! Can only happen to the raptors. Of course there won’t be any apologies from the league on that call though because it’s the raptors. New commissioner but still the same rigged basketball game!!

DId you guys watch the game the raptors had to foul because they couldnt hold anybody when they went to the rim. The kings bigs were too much for them. The Lowry foul was the only foul that you was a toss up on whether it was a foul or not i think the officals are just tired of everyone trying to milk fouls and lobby to them in late game situations, like demar when he ran into mclemore and wanted the fould, that is why they called that.

Putrid officiating right under the nose of the new Commissioner. What are you going to do Silver? Where is the apology? The accountability? Is Tim Donaghey right? Start showing us that you have your hand on this. 51 FREE THROW ATTEMPTS!!!!
A 27 free throw attempt disparity?!!! And that last call was…according to USA TODAY…the worst foul call that reporter has ever seen!!!

A dyed-in the wool forty year NBA fan is waiting to see what integrity his favourite game still has.

Kings or Raptors fan, we want the players deciding the outcome of games. The refs made a terrible call in the Kings favor to end the game and also gave them 51 free throw attempts. The refs are not the reason we watch the games. Where is the integrity of the game?

WOW!!! What about Seattle? Mr. Silver , where is our reward? Durant should be a Sonic, plain and simple. Then to wave The Kings and say they dont want to do that to that team , as they did to us (seattle). scam artist !!!

Raptors got robbed!!! 51 ft for Sac-town wtf!! That last call was a Defensive foul. If the Commissioner was at the game and the Raptors got robbed I see a bad future for the other small franchises in this league for years to come.

absolutely robbed … and the commmissioner was sitting courtside! … raps shouldve won lowry shouldve gotten a 4 pt play … referee michael smith is a clown and should be sent to the wnba … rigged officiating at its finest

Im still lost for words, how do you call an offensive foul (which was clearly the wrong call) in the most crucial moment of the game?? Ill tell you how, the NBA IS RIGGED!! The NBA might come out and make an apology but we dont want to hear it. What good is an apology if it doesnt amount to a win. If youre a real fan of the game boycott the nba dont watch a single game, dont attend a game and maybe they will get the message that the players are the ones who dictate the game not the officials.

So you all are saying that even if he made the free throw to make it a 3 poing game with 12 seconds remaining I think, Kings ball, the raptors should have won it? What if the kings hit a 3 point play at the other end in those remaining 12 seconds. It did not affect the outcome of the game. Have you seen the 4 point play Paul George had at the end of the game last week or two in Sacramento? Was that really continuation?? He was foul dribbling the ball, not in a shooting motion. That affected the outcome of the game because it tied the game and the Pacers went on to win it. This call did not affect the outcome of the game because it just got the Raptors to within 3 points had that been a 4 point play. Did the NBA appologize for the bad call on Paul George. Get over it!!!

Maybe some disciplinary action should go on the official who made the horrible call against lowry at the games end? completely a bone head call!!! and the t after the fact for running away from the garbage the officials in this league should have no choice but to admit mistakes and apologize like mark cuban said. It makes the league look like it is so rigged really an angry fan today!!

Have they fired the ref who called a foul on Derrick Williams when he fouled Paul George 3 seconds before he attempted and made a 3 point shot and gave him continuation?? That was a terrible call because it affected the outcome of the game. The Kyle Lowry foul didn’t.

I hope they somehow force this fiasco to a public vote. Not that it would ultimately matter, the politician crooks and business crooks always find a sleazy end-around. Most recently, Columbus, Ohio held public votes for an arena that was defeated FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES, and the politician crooks and the business crooks still found a loophole end-around to force the taxpayers to pay for every penny of it, anyway.

What an appropriate title. The article did fail to mention that this backing extended to the game itself due to referee bias in Sacramento’s favour. Imagine that. I’m kind of surprised to see that people still watch basketball in that city after 2002. I know I’ve learned my lesson after last night.